Rapunzel nut butters: multifunctional, tasty and healthy!

Nuts, the small power packages in their most delicious form: as nut butter. Today, nuts no longer have the bad reputation of being fattening foods. On the contrary - today they are highly valued thanks to their high concentration of unsaturated fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

Gently roasted and thoroughly ground to 100% pure nut butters, they are incredibly versatile in the kitchen - and very easy to use. With the growing popularity of vegetarian and vegan diets during the last several years nut butters are also experiencing an upswing.

Rapunzel nut butters can be used in many different ways. They are delicious on bread, they can be used to refine sauces and dips, they round off savory vegetable dishes and cereals and they are ideal for the preparation of salad dressings.

Nut butters can also be used for sweet dishes and for baking. They taste yummy in sweet fruit shakes, desserts or smoothies. Nut butter stirred into yoghurt or curd cheese with some fresh fruit - for an ideal in-between snack. Nut butters are often used in the vegan kitchen for sauce binding and refinement.

Today's production

In the past, we continuously invested in our nut butter production processes. Today, we use state-of-the-art technology that guarantees highest product quality.

In the year 2010, we installed a new roasting plant with an improved roasting procedure for nuts, almonds and seeds: the roasting product is uniformely roasted in a hot air stream at relatively low temperature. This facilitates a particularly gentle roasting process that unfolds the characteristic aroma of nuts, almonds and seeds in the best possible way. The gentle roasting process also gives the nuts a special crunch.

The entire roasting process is particularly environmentally-firendly. Our own wood chip heating plant produces the base temperature, the peak load is provided by our own thermal power station. The waste heat is recycled into the energy cycle via a recirculation system.

This technology saves valuable, non-renewable resources, saves CO2 emissions and fully complies with the latest environmental requirements. After the roasting process, the nuts and seeds are finely ground and filled into jars.

Nutritional physiology

Nuts taste great, they are satiating, good for the heart and the circulatory system. Because of their high fat content they have been considered "unsuitable" in the past as part of a healthy diet for people with weight problems. Studies have shown that this was a misperception. When enjoyed in moderate amounts, nuts are a valuable and tasty addition to a healthy diet.

Due to their high concentration of fat (approximately 80%), nuts have a lot of calories. However, they supply the body mainly with mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids that also have very positive effects on the health as long as they are ingested in moderate amounts. Nut proteins are very easily digestible. The carbohydrate concentration in nuts is rather low. Their fiber content, on the other hand, is noteworthy.

"Nuts keep you trim and slim!" That is the positive message for nut lovers. It was found that people who eat nuts regularly keep a lower body weight than people who don't eat nuts. Several studies also showed that the additional ingestion of nuts over a prolonged period of time led to either no or only minor weight gain.

The reason why calories from nuts are stored to a lesser degree than calories from other food sources (e.g. from meat or sweets) is explained with the nutritional profile of nuts (the type of fat, high protein concentration). Researchers postulate that nuts even stimulate the energy consumption of the body.

Minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and sodium make nuts to valuable mineral sources. Nuts also contain antioxidative phenols and phytosterols that are believed to reduce cholesterol.

Minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and sodium make nuts to valuable mineral sources. Nuts also contain antioxidative phenols and phytosterols that are believed to reduce cholesterol.

Important minerals and their effects

CALCIUM is responsible for the strength and density of our bones. It activates enzymes and supports muscular activity.

IRON is a component of red blood cells that are responsible for the body's oxygen transport. Iron is important for numerous immune responses and metabolic functions.

MAGNESIUM is the basis for healthy bones and teeth. As an activator of more than 300 enzymes, magnesium is responsible for the conversion of food energy into chemical energy and participates in the utilization of proteins and fats. It is also responsible for muscular and mental activity.

POTASSIUM controls the fluid content of cells as well as numerous other metabolic functions. In the nerves, potassium is responsible for stimulus conduction, in the muscles it participates in the control of muscle contraction.

ZINC participates in many metabolic functions. It is important for protein synthesis and cell division - thus also for the skin, our hair and for wound healing. Our body also needs zinc for the production of several hormones. The trace element zinc is moreover important for digestion, blood formation and the immune system.

Vitamin B1 strengthens mental activity, because it is significant for the nervous system, for carbohydrate metabolism and energy metabolism.

Vitamin B2 also plays an important role for the nervous system and for the energy metabolism. Especially people who are subjected to stress need a lot of vitamin B2.

Vitamin B6 strengthens the body's immune response and participates in the formation of red blood cells. It is also important for cell division.

Frequently asked questions about sweet bread spreads & nut butters

What is the difference between nut butters and nut creams?

Nut butters are made from 100 percent nuts or seeds. Nut creams are sweet bread spreads that contain nuts as major ingredients. Palm oil is responsible for a creamy and stable consistency. Added Rapadura or Cristallino sugar give the popular bread spreads their desired sweetness.

How can I use nut butters?

Nut butters are great on bread, for baking and the refinement of numerous dishes, soups, sauces and salad dressings. You can find recipes in our nut butter recipe booklet or in the recipe section.

Can I use Rapunzel white almond butter for the preparation of almond milk?

For the preparation of our white almond butter, we only use top quality, Californian sweet almonds. The almond butter can be used for the preparation of almond milk.
Recipe for the preparation of almond milk: 1 Tbs white almond butter, 10 g solid or 20 g semi-viscious sweetener e.g. RAPADURA whole cane sugar or maple syrup, 50-180 ml water.
Combine almond butter and sweetener, slowly add lukewarm water and beat with a whisk.
Tip: at 4 months of age, the water can be replaced with about 40 ml fruit juice and 15 g cereal gruel can be added.

Why does oil settle on top of the nut butter in a jar?

Rapunzel nut butters are 100% pure nut butters. They are produced without emulsifiers or stabilizers. Therefore, the oil contained in the nuts (approximately 10%) settles on the surface of the nut butter after the nut butter was filled into the jar. This cannot be avoided as we use no additives such as fats or thickeners.
You can stir the oil back into the nut butter or you can decant the oil and use it as high-quality salad oil.
The settling of the oil is due to product purity.

How long can I store an opened glass of nut butter?

In general, nut butters keep well for a long time also when the jar is opened. It is important that you always use a clean spoon for removing a portion of nut butter and that the oil layer that forms over time is left on top of the nut butter, because this oil layer forms a barrier against oxygen. Simply stir the nut butter prior to eating.
Nut butter can be either stored at room temperature or it can be refrigerated.

What is the best way to store nut butter?

All nut butters may be stored either in the refrigerator or in a cupboard. When refrigerated, the nut butter has a more solid consistency. Nut butters also store well after they were opened. It is most important to always use a clean spoon for removing a portion of nut butter. The oil layer that forms on top of the nut butter acts like a protective layer.

What is the difference between brown and white almond butter?

Brown almond butter (natural) is made with roasted almonds that still have their brown skin. White almond butter is made with blanched, unroasted sweet almonds (and contains no bitter almonds).

This information can be found at:
Information for allergy sufferers / raw food information

This is how it started in 1976

In 1976, Rapunzel produced six different nut butters: almond butter, peanut butter, hazelnut butter, cashew butter, mixed nut butter and tahini. Today, our portfolio includes twelve nut butters. We further expanded this portfolio with chocolate nut spreads and nut creams. Since the very beginning, we have been preparing nut butters without any additives. Today, the manufacturing process has become significantly more modern.

At first, we produced nut butters on a simple stone mill and we filled the jars manually. Some of our customers also remember the times, when Rapunzel delivered nut butter in large buckets. In the store, the nut butter was then filled into jars.

At that time, we also filled the jars ourselves - this was done very carefully, as one employee described in 1978: "For the filling of the jars we use a spoon. After some practice, the filling can be done without being too messy. In the end, every glass and every bucket is weighed, capped and labelled.

During this work, you have a lot of time to think about things, you can listen to the radio, look out of the window or do some yoga exercises and you can do everything very consciously - every jar, every lid, every label, every move - and it becomes really intense once you filled 1,000 jars..."
This happened a long time ago. Today, such a production process is no longer possible.